Skylanders Superchargers Racing Into Homes Everywhere

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You know my boys love their video games, and my little guys are still too young to play most of the Wii and PlayStation games so the LeapTV is perfect for them…and guess what?! They learn as they play!! We just received 5 new games from LeapFrog that I want to share my thoughts on…you know, with the holidays coming up and all!
DISNEY FROZEN: ARENDELLE’S WINTER FESTIVAL
I played this game with my five-year old who just started kinder and we both enjoyed playing it. The math starts out really simple, recognizing numbers, then putting them in order and finally equations. If you have 2 battery operated controllers 2 kids together. It does get more difficult becuase it grows with your child. I found the on-screen motions to be pretty good, quick response and accurate. There are 5 games and all are completely different. Your child can Ice Skate with Ana & Elsa or throw snowballs with olaf. My little guy was enjoying his play and didn’t even realize that he was still doing “school work”. I thought the product is great for pre schoolers, especially when the weather won’t permit outdoor play. The game teaches math, shapes but also coordination and logic.
DOODLECRAFT STARRING MR. PENCIL
I had my 13-year-old play along with my 5-year-old, just so there was someone who could help out if he needed it. They both really enjoyed playing and collaborating with each other on designing their world. My 13-year-old even compared it to the infinity sandbox. They were painting and building buildings around the town…they had fun “paintballing” the school. This was definitely a fun game for them to play and I love that they worked together to get the job done!
BLAZE AND THE MONSTER MACHINES
My 9-Year-old and 5-year-old played this one together and really enjoyed racing against each other. Everything seems to be a race with them, so for them to be able to actually race….and learn at the same time was a win-win! I’m telling you it got pretty competitive. I like this game because it teaches science, technology, engineering and math. All subjects on which most kids don’t enjoy learning otherwise.
DISNEY PRINCESS: CINDERELLA AND RAPUNZEL
My boys got quite the giggle “dressing up” like a Disney princess and snapping pics. They played connect the dots with stars by finding letters in the mix of letters and numbers. I see this being a really enjoyable game for a girl, but my boys didn’t play long on it..it just didn’t appeal to them. I do see the value in the reading skills and hope that my 5-year-old will give it another chance.
LETTER FACTORY ADVENTURES
This game is meant for 3-5-year-olds. My 5-year-old started kindergarten this year and is perfect for him! We’ve watched the movies for years and were excited to get to interact with the letters and characters. This game is perfect for teaching him his letters and sounds. There is a ton of repetition with the letters and sounds. The train picks up all the stray letters on the way to their respective stations. The game shows upper and lower case letters and makes their sound or says their name every time you point your pointer at it, or pop a bubble with that letter in it, or sort the letter correctly. On the way to its station, each letter gets three different games. By the time they get to the letter’s station they should have a good idea about that letter and the sound it makes! The kids also get to move and use their bodies to play which is an added bonus. My little guy really likes this game and I know it’s going to help him out this year with school and his speech.
Over all we really enjoyed these games and the boys can’t wait to play again!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

In my house we love giving back and raising awareness for foundations we love! One foundation we love is the Food Bank of Corpus Christi, we give yearly to this foundation in hopes of brightening someone’s day. So when SUBWAY® Restaurants and Social Moms invited me to join in the “You Share. We Share.” program, I was more than ready to talk about this great organization and how you can help it, and other local charities in your neck of the woods.
From now through August 31st, SUBWAY® Restaurants are partnering with local charities in the You Share. We Share. program to give back to their communities. When you eat at SUBWAY® Restaurants in the Corpus Christi area on the weekends this summer, a percentage of sales up to $10,000 will go to the Food Bank of Corpus Christi.
Learn more about the Food Bank Of Corpus Christi. I want to share a bit about what the Food Bank Of Corpus Christi does for the community.
When you think of a food bank, unless you’ve had to use one, you probably think it’s some large building where people can pick up food when they are in need…well you are only partially right. The Food Bank of Corpus Christi provides so much more to their community.
The Food Bank of Corpus Christi offers a Diabetes Hands On Program where they teach free classes on managing your diabetes…cooking the proper foods & helping get people active. They are also installing a Aquaponics Garden where they will grow their own veggies and it will be fertilized by fish! The are being proactive in getting and keeping our community healthy and fed.
I know many of you donate to the food bank as well, I love hearing the bells at HEB go off with every donation! So I implore all of our Corpus readers to go grab a delicious sandwich at a locally owned and operated SUBWAY® Restaurants franchise (find your store here) this summer in support of this great organization.
So get out and share your weekends with SUBWAY® Restaurants, and SUBWAY® will share right back!
Follow the Food Bank of Corpus Christi on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Learn more about SUBWAY® Restaurants’ “You Share. We Share.” initiative here.
“This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and SUBWAY® blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.”
Follow SUBWAY® on Facebook | Twitter
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Earlier this week Chrysler announced its sponsorship and support of longtime family favorite Sesame Street that will include digital and television sponsorship as well as an online video series to be promoted across Chrysler brand’s digital and social channels.
This multimedia campaign will pair the lovable Sesame Street characters with the all-new Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans in ten co-branded videos for parents. With both brands having a deep commitment to families and children, this exciting initiative will see Sesame Street extend its reach in new and creative ways and Chrysler educating parents on their unprecedented 115 safety, security and technology innovations.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and you should see the SinfulColors Flirt With Heart display up at your local retailers! This years Valentine’s Day display features your traditional reds and pinks, but they also throw in some bright purple and teal.
I have 4 shades to share with you…
Daredevil was hands down my favorite of the 4 I received…if you spot it and love pinks grab it before its gone! This is a neon pink with a shimmer throughout. I used 2 coats…
Love Sprinkles is a Limited Edition glitter top coat for Valentine’s Day! Love Sprinkles contains pale pink hexagons and white hearts. I used 1 coat of Love Sprinkles over Dare Devil. I did have to fish for the heart I got in these photos…but I think once I use it a bit more, I will have no problem getting them out.
GoGo Girl is the perfect candy apple red. Red is my second favorite nail color to use…the Love Sprinkles would look fab on top of GoGo Girl too! I used 2 coats.
I’ve never really been a blue fan, it’s just not my color…but I LOVE this teal Rise & Shine color! It might not be your traditional valentines day color, but it would really look great on a v-day night out. I used 2 coats.
I am happy with the 4 shades I received. Daredevil is the stand out for me and a must have for pink lovers. Love Sprinkles is limited edition, so if you see it and think you might want it…grab it so you don’t miss it.
cost: $1.99
Do you do the standard pink and red shades, or would you step out in the teal for Valentine’s Day?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

While most people have never heard of them, Jon Favreau the director of Disney’s “The Jungle Book” is one of those people who just think pangolins are the coolest critters out there. Jon even included one in the movie…you’ll meet him not long after you meet Baloo, & provide comic relief during a particular scene in the movie. During my recent trip to L.A. for the #JungleBookEvent, we were educated about the critically endangered Pangolin. Jeffrey Flocken, who is the North American Regional Director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), shared details about this rarely heard of animal, why they are so endangered, & how we can help to conserve & protect this creature from extinction.
Photo Courtesy of ifaw.org
What is a Pangolin?
“Pangolins are very little known and incredibly awesome animals…They are a mammal, unique to their taxonomy branch, and there is no close relative… they are under a tremendous amount of pressure, experiencing extinction throughout its range and it’s because it’s being captured for the wildlife trade, in most cases illegally, although still legally in many cases.”
Why are they so critically endangered?
Their meat is considered a delicacy throughout Asia, particularly in China. Their scales are used for various things…they are ground up and used in traditional Asian medicines & can also be found in belts & boots.
6 Facts you need to know!
There are eight different species of Pangolins. Four in Asia and Four in Africa
Pangolins are so endangered, they are very likely to become extinct in our lifetime unless we do something to prevent it.
Pangolins are solitary, nocturnal animals…so not much is known about them or how many are truly left in the wild.
There has never been a successful breeding program in captivity.
It’s almost impossible to keep them alive once they’ve been taken from the wild.
The only zoo in North America to currently house a pangolin is the San Diego Zoo.
Photo Source: www.awf.org
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is working to try to set up protection so that the animals can no longer be traded legally, which will also help stop the illegal trade. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued their 90 day finding on the pangolin petition on March 16th. IFAW got a positive finding, which means it will go through the full process to determine if pangolins warrant “Endangered” protection. IFAW is asking for the public to sign a petition in support of protecting the pangolins. While we wait for this petition, please check out this page for more information on protecting the pangolins.
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for Mr. Pangolin in Disney’s The Jungle Book, out TODAY!

Did you know: 1 in 5 veterans return home from conflict and live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). My grandfather was one of these vets. It’s very traumatic for the returning vet as well as the families. Meet Bill Jones, Chief Warrant Officer 2, U.S. Army & Wounded Warrior Project ® Alumnus.
From an outsider’s perspective, Bill Jones has an inspiring success story. From his own perspective, Bill simply sees himself standing on the shoulders of those who have helped him over the years. Now he wants to help others as much as he can.
“Wounded Warrior Project ® (WWP) impacted my life exponentially,” says Bill. “I went from being very unstable to being able to overcome the triggers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and feeling empowered for a better life.”
Bill served in Iraq and Afghanistan and like many of his fellow service members, he never had time to process the realities of war.
“You go from one mission to the next, where the next traumatic event happens, and then to the next event, on and on,” says Bill. “You can’t deal with it, so you don’t. You bury it. When you eventually come home, it all surfaces.”
Bill says WWP Project Odyssey ® helped him transform from hopeless to hopeful. The teambuilding approach of this outdoor, rehabilitative retreat gave him the confidence he needed to heal and motivated him to get involved with the WWP Warriors to Work ® program. Through Warriors to Work, Bill was chosen from thousands of applicants as a camera operator with the Def Leppard and KISS tour. Traveling with the band was a dream come true for Bill, but there were unexpected challenges and benefits to being in a concert environment.
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“It forced me to deal head-on with my fears of crowds and loud noises,” says Bill. “The prolonged exposure helped me re-train my mind to understand they were not a threat. None of this would have been possible without the Warriors to Work program.”
Bill is quick to point out the positive effects of his recovery extend to his family and beyond.
“As I improved in my healing process, my family and I have grown closer together. The support has been incredible. Through Wounded Warrior Project, no warrior should ever have to give up.”
Today, Bill is dedicated to helping other warriors who are living with PTSD. He serves as a WWP Peer Mentor and manages a personal Facebook page called “The Prisoner Within – A Look into PTSD.”
“I want to dispel the myths associated with PTSD. Healing comes in many ways for a PTSD survivor, but recovery doesn’t mean that everything is all better. The key is to get help. Stand on the shoulders of those who care, and you’ll be strong enough to help someone else. Regardless of what side of PTSD you stand on, you are not alone.”
Join Wounded Warrior Project ® (WWP) and participating retailers and brands until November 20 as part of the ‪#‎BelieveInHeroes‬ campaign and Support the Brands that Support our Heroes. It’s something so easy to do! http://wwpbelieve.org
This blog post was sponsored by Wounded Warrior Project ® for Believe in Heroes but the opinions are all my own.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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